Without a Trace
by D-Money626
Summary: Creatures kidnap a man's wife while on his honeymoon, leaving him alone and desperetly searching for her until he meets a strange fellow named the Doctor. This is the 10th episode of a different Series 4. "Bit of something in my teeth?"
1. The Temptation to Leave

Earlier on in this incarnation the Doctor had met a beautiful woman. She was of royalty, rich in both taste and culture, and as far as culture goes 17th century France is high on most lists. Sure, Pothay in 62nd century gives it a run for it, but 17th century France has and will always be classic. Madame da Pompadour was everything that Rose was not.

The Doctor had fallen for that queen. She offered him a different type of relationship and in fact a different type of life. Madame da Pompadour had offered the opportunity to truly settle down and it had been tempting. Oh, it had been very tempting and the Doctor had let himself believe that it was time to just accept it because with Rose a future could never be simple. He had been at a crossroads and never got the chance to live out his fantasy because the Doctor had gotten the time wrong. He had arrived too late. Madame da Pompadour passed away with him on her mind.

Matt had been Rose's fantasy. Unfortunately for her, Rose didn't arrive too late for his death, she was there. Against her better judgment she had almost sacrificed her life for that bloke only to be pushed away as he did it for her. Rose was really shaken after returning to the TARDIS. She walked past him that night and despite his best efforts, she didn't talk about it at all. Rose would wake up the next day perfectly fine like nothing had happened. Everyday she was becoming more and more like him.

The Doctor shrugged it off. He knew exactly how Rose felt about him, but she knew nothing of what his feelings were for her. The Doctor didn't even know that himself. She had asked him in many different ways over there times together and every time he found a way to dodge the question. During their early travels Rose didn't seem to care as much, but after Martha left and Rose returned she was wiser and older and wanted an answer. After the events in the hills of 1849 California Rose had made that certain.

It was only an eventual fact that in their travels another Matt would come along. Rose would fall for that simple life again, but he couldn't blame her. After all that's exactly what Madame da Pompadour was to him way back when. The life of the wandering traveler seeking adventure was the Doctor's life. Rose couldn't live that life forever. She'd either be tempted to leave through the heart of another man such as Matt or would die taking matters for herself. Both of these possible time lines worried the Doctor immensely. It was why he had never made a decision on how he felt about Rose despite what his hearts told him. He couldn't let her know no matter how much it frustrated her because this was no game, it was life.

The Doctor sighed standing in the console room alone. If only there was someone out there in this great big universe that could understand his dilemma and the pain that surfaced under it. Till then it was the same old life moving on whether Rose was in the TARDIS or not because she was just a companion. She could never be more...


	2. Nightmare on the Gondola

Amongst old buildings with patios holding potted vegetables such as tomatoes and the beautiful gondola's of modern day Venice, a man and a women of English origin walk down the busy street holding hands.

The man turns his head and smiles at the woman. "I've always wanted to see Venice."

"It's beautiful." Her smile said it all, but the sun's reflection on her ruby necklace spoke volumes.

"Rachel, I'm so glad we took this trip. I love you."

Rachel swelled up with blissful content. "I love you too, Charlie."

Before they knew it they both had stopped and kissed each other in the middle of the street. As people passed them and quickly stared they didn't care. Charlie, or as he more commonly called himself Charles, and Rachel broke their kiss wanting more, but knew that this was not the place for it.

Breathlessly Charles pointed over toward the famous canals of the city. "How 'bout a bit of a ride on the gondola, milady?"

He offered his arm to her and they walked over to the nearest canal with arms linked and matching anticipatory grins.

Charles and Rachel met a grinning oarsman who greeted them saying, "Ciao!" The oarsman was different from most of the other ones in that he wore a robe over his head much like he would have if he'd been a female Arab, but that had been a male voice. Not even an Italian accent at that. The tourists figured he was just trying to be different and maybe he was. Besides they were too much into each other.

Charles and Rachel nodded in affirmation as he got on first before lending his hand to help Rachel up into the gondola.

As they took a seat the oarsman began to paddle along the canal through Venice slowly but surely. Charles and Rachel cuddled and just as soon as they were off, they were kissing again. They couldn't tell you what the scenery looked like along the banks or who the people around them were. Those two were completely lost in each other and not even a lion or tiger could separate them. Ok, maybe one of those could have.

What felt like mere seconds of bliss to the couple ended as the oarsman began to paddle back to shore. Charles and Rachel broke contact as he noticed that she still wanted more and Charles was not going to deny that. "Sir, how about another round? It's our honeymoon."

The oarsman continued to paddle to shore towards a warehouse as Charles again asked, "Did you hear me, sir? We'd like another round. "

There was no nod or even a grunt from the oarsman as Charles began to get impatient as the oarsman stopped paddling once they had reached shore. He began to yell, "Sir! Did you hear me! Sir! I will pay you!"

Again, nothing. Charles was furious and now so was Rachel. Charles grabbed the oarsman's arm and gently shook it which made his head covering fall off making both him and Charles scream in pure shock.

The oarsman's head was dark green and it turned around with beady eyes grabbing Charles's arm and twisting it behind his back.

He was powerless against this thing and he had no idea why it was restraining him. Charles was terrified. "What… what do you want with me?"

Rachel got up and yelled, "Let him go! Let him go" She tried to save him, but was quickly pushed back by the figures other hand knocking her down on her back on the gondola.

Out of the warehouse came four green skinned creatures running over to them and all the couple could do was stare at each other wondering what they could possibly do. They had no idea if they would live to see tomorrow.

Again Charles pleaded, "Whatever it is that you want. Just name it and let us be. I'm begging you!"

The creature held him strong and said nothing as a couple of the others jumped onto the gondola. Rachel swung at one of their heads with a punch, but it did nothing as the other grabbed her legs as she screamed.

Soon Rachel could do nothing as the other creature had grabbed her arms behind her back. She yelled, "Help!" as desperately loudly as she could and soon was joined by Charles. There cries went unheard and the creatures began to pick Rachel up while she wriggled around in vain.

The creatures hoisted her up lifting her until the other two grabbed her while keeping her restrained. Soon they were dragging her towards the warehouse and Charles could do nothing but watch.

His heart was breaking as he watched the love of his life being carried away and screaming for somebody, anybody, to save her.

"Charlie! I love you!"

Charles could only respond with an impassioned cry. "I'll find you! I promise!" It was the last words he said to her as the warehouse door was opened and the four creatures and Rachel disappeared into it shutting the door behind them more than likely never to be seen again.

The creature continued to hold him as everything fell silent. Charles was heartbroken, but a small part still cared as he feared what they would do to him next…


	3. Missing Person

Just as soon as Rachel had disappeared the creature holding Charles released its grasp on him. For whatever reason it did so, Charles didn't care. This animal had held him while its friends had taken his love away right before his eyes. He wouldn't let this creature get away with it and just as he was released he pulled his hand back to get ready to sock it.

Charles thrust his hand forward with malice, but noticed that his captor was vanishing as his fist met colorless air. He couldn't believe it. The green creature that was holding him a few minutes ago had just vanished. There was zero trace that it had even been there.

Rachel. Charles jumped out of the gondola and onto the ground racing towards the warehouse. Hopefully he wasn't too late and they were still holding her in there. As he raced to the door he realized it was unlocked and threw it open to reveal a completely bare inside.

Charles could not find any green creatures, Rachel, or even a solid thing in the building other than dust. Everything and everyone had just vanished and he had no clue where his wife was. None. Charles shed a lone tear just thinking about it. He had to find her!

In this great big city of Venice someone had to have seen something and he realized he would find that person if it took him all day long. All week long even. Charles determinedly pulled out his wallet from his pocket and slid out a picture of Rachel from it. It was a very recent one of her just a little over a year old that he had taken of her the night he introduced his friends to his new wife. Charles stopped staring at the picture trying to stay strong as he put his wallet back and marched to the city streets beyond.

A man was walking and Charles approached him thrusting the picture in the offended man's face. "Have you seen her?"

"I haven't."

Charles tried another by waving to a passing gussied up woman. "Excuse me, miss?"

"I have pepper spray!" She was likely not happy with the attention she had gotten today.

"No, I need your help."

"Oh, in that case." The woman walked up to him and he showed her the picture.

"Tell me you've seen her."

The woman slapped Charles hard across the face. "You're hitting on me by showing me a picture of another woman?"

"No, I was just…" He stopped as he realized she had already left and was walking away. No sense in getting her attention and getting abused again.

Would he ever find someone who knew anything? Quietly Charles muttered, "I'll find you, Rachel. I'll find a way back to you." Perhaps if he made it a mantra than it might come true.

And then he saw it… A dark figure stood in the nearby shadows seemingly staring at him. Whoever it was, they knew something.

Charles ran towards the figure who stopped watching and began running into an alley. The tourist quickened his pace knowing that now he had to catch this mysterious person if he wanted any clues to what had happened to his wife.

Charles began getting closer until a building wall trapped the figure from escaping, thus trapping it. In the shadows, Charles noticed the person turn around and face him.

As he got closer he could see clearly and quickly noticed the same dark green skin from before. He wouldn't let this thing escape until it paid for what it had done. "You! You're… you're the thing that stole Rachel! Where is she?"

The creature said nothing not bothering to respond as it focused on its arm to press a button. "Oh, no you don't! Not this time!"

Charles leapt toward the figure, but only went right through it as he landed onto the hard pavement. For a second he didn't get up just laying there. Charles began to question that he'd ever see Rachel again, but he knew that he had to get up and at least try.

With the aches and pain that had come from his impact, Charles raised his body off the ground and stood up. Thankfully, he had hit the pavement with his chest before his head so he had not suffered a concussion. After realizing that he was still breathing and able to move, Charles walked back towards the street.

As he moved on he was passed by a multitude of people. People of all different types of nationalities and backgrounds walked by Charles like they had not even noticed him. He had thought that maybe he could have asked any one of them, but it'd just be a waste of time. Charles had experienced something twice that only the nutters of the world would take seriously and was beginning to give up hope. Nobody could help him now.

It may have been mere minutes or possibly hours, but Charles found himself walking into a well lit park with a fountain in its center. The beauty helped him gain consciousness back as he smiled for the first time since losing his wife as well as cringe from the wave of pain from that fall.

Charles knew he had to take a moment to rest and took a seat on one of the benches. As he plopped down he let out a sigh staring into the fountain's crystal waters.

In taking a closer look at the waters around the fountain, he saw the most peculiar site. A little plastic straw appeared to be moving around above the water and the owner that was using it was about to show itself…


	4. Salvation in Pinstripes

Charles watched as a head emerged from below the water with a hand throwing away the plastic straw. Surprisingly, it appeared to be a grown man in a now soaked pinstripe coat who looked curiously back at him. If Derreck was honest he might have even laughed at the sight if he wasn't in such a hopeless situation.

The man gently grabbed his coat and shook it a little bit getting a small amount of the water off him as he stepped on to the pavement. Apparently, whatever it was the man had noticed Charles staring as he asked, "Bit of something in my teeth?"

"Huh?"

"Do I have something in my teeth?" The man smiled proudly as he continued approaching Charles.

"Uh… no. You have a perfect smile."

"Good, that could have been disastrous. I think I got it though."

"Got what?"

"Bit of seaweed. Touchy situation that would be. All the fish could of died."

"Isn't that a freshwater pond?"

"It is, isn't it!"

The strange soaked man took a seat next to Charles on the bench also looking at the pond he had just come out of. "Sorry, who are you?"

The man reached out his hand with a genuine smile to which Charles shook it. "The Doctor. Nice to meet you!"

"Charles, Charles Mayweather." They removed their hands and quietly sized each other up before Charles asked, "Where you just breathing through that bit of straw?"

"More like blowing out of it getting the toxins out of the water, but yea I think I breathed in a little bit too."

"Shouldn't that have killed you?"

"Bit morbid, you are? Nah, I'm a little different, Charles. Binary vascular system."

"Sorry?"

"Binary vascular system. Blimey, you're a bit slow."

"I'm not. I'm just distracted a bit is all. Just lost someone real close to me, ya know. Wait! You're a… you're a thing! An alien!"

"Quite rude, don't ya think?"

"Tell me something, alien. Dark green creatures. Bout yay high and beady eyes. Have you seen em?" Charles demonstrated the height of the average human with his arm before adding, "They took my wife and then just vanished."

The Doctor was quite offended. "What? You assume all of us aliens are all secretly friends and meet for poker on Tuesdays?"

"No."

"I haven't." Charles began to slump into the bench with a sad realization until the Doctor added, "But, I may be just the sort of man to find them!" The alien jumped up excitedly proclaiming, "I'm very good at finding things you see! Unless their on the other side of the postemorary schism and then, well, not much I can do about that!"

"Sorry, the what?"

"Forget I said that. Take me to where it happened and we'll figure this out, Charles Mayweather!"

Charles got up excited. This was the first good news he'd gotten since losing his wife. He quite liked this strange alien. There was just something about him that radiated familiarity. "Just call me Charles."

Charles and the Doctor walked back to the warehouse where Rachel was taken.

They opened the door to the empty warehouse and the Doctor immediately put on his specs looking around for even the smallest of clues. "Up and vanished, you say?

"Why? Do you not believe me?"

"Because, Charles, there's no signs of anyone having been here. Not even a DNA sample. Nothing at all. Completely empty."

"I'm not havin you on. They took Rachel right into this building right in front of me!"

"Who's Rachel?"

Charles was getting closer to tears. "My wife."

"Look, I believe ya. Alright. Just… just tell me something, anything, about her. Just start talking."

The tourist sat down suddenly on the dusty floor realizing exactly what he needed to calm down. As if out of breath, he began to tell the Doctor all about Rachel as the alien squatted to listen. "She… she has the most lovely shade of red. The most pure ginger. Always supported me, always. She's got one of those smiles, ya know? The ones that can just light up the room because she floats in the air when we're all sinking. Rachel challenges me. I dunno how love works with your people, but there's no doubt in my mind… I love her."

The Doctor knew what he was talking about, but could only reply with a breathless, "Yeah."

"After our wedding we chose to go on honeymoon to two spots. Just picked them random and threw darts on the globe blindfolded actually. Each of us would take turns with one of us spinning the globe and the other blinded. Was quite fun actually. First time up I missed and she landed dead on Shanghai. So, we went. Great city if you ever get the chance. When I threw it I landed on Venice." Charles gulped as he realized something. "I brought her here. It's my fault."

"It's really not. Like you said. You just threw a dart at a globe. That's it."

"Is it really, Doctor? I see you're alone. Don't even have a mate. You have no idea."

"I have someone. A friend… Rose."

"If you knew you'd agree. I could of just threw that dart a little to the right and hit Greece, left and get Spain, North, Germany, and… Doctor?" The Doctor was silently staring at something by one of the walls with one the biggest cheshire grins on his face. "Doctor?" The Doctor gestured with a nod towards the wall.

Charles than looked where the Doctor was gazing and noticed what looked like an odd crack.

The Doctor ran over to it with Charles chasing. Upon getting closer Charles noticed it wasn't a crack at all, but a black shoe. The Doctor turned and grinned at his new friend as he picked up the shoe. "Your brilliant wife kicked off her shoe to a hidden spot while struggling to help you find her!"


	5. Yamra and Cheese

Charles shrugged his shoulders confused after seeing the Doctor's excitement. "So?"

The alien still holding the black shoe was caught off guard thinking his point was rather obvious. "What, Really?"

"Just proves she was here. Where is she then, Doctor?"

The Doctor was relieved and sighed. He thought for a minute there that he might have had the wrong logic. "Blimey, not used to negativity like this. It's great news, Charles, because it got enveloped in just enough zamonian radiation so that if I build the right type of tracker than we can find her signature, and not enough for the shoe to disappear with her. And if I'm right than it should be covered in it!" The Doctor than took the shoe and put it up to his face where he liked it. "Yup, that is definitely zamonian."

Charles was flabbergasted holding a shocked face which gave way to disgust. "Sorry, did you really just lick my wife's shoe?"

The Doctor sighed again. This time he was just annoyed. "Would you rather I not help you?"

"No, that's fine. How… how can I help?"

"Hold a couple objects for me, will ya?" The Doctor reached into his pockets pulling out a cylinder tube before handing it to Charles. "Yamra energy." He next pulled out what looked like a remote controlled car controller complete with antenna. "Radiation detector." Finally, the Doctor pulled out and passed to Charles a ham and cheese sandwich with a wink. "Lunch. Possibly the most important of all."

Charles could not believe this Doctor. "What race of alien are you?"

"You don't like ham and cheese? I thought everyone liked ham and cheese."

"Who are you?"

"I'm here to help. That's all you need to know."

"Why? Why are you being so helpful? What's the real reason that your helping me?"

"Hand me my objects please."

"Doctor?"

It may have been annoyance of Charles, but it also could have been years and years of frustration from the Time War, Rose, and the Master, but the Doctor snapped at him. "Because I know what it feels like to lose someone, ok!"

Charles passed him the objects in silent understanding not wanting to press him. The Doctor handed him back the ham and cheese with a grin. "The sandwich is for you. You're going to need some nutrition because we might have to run." He winked suggestively at Charles again which Charles didn't understand fully.

As the Doctor began to pull out his sonic screwdriver and use it to open the controller, Charles stared at the sandwich in his hands. For being in a pocket the food didn't have a hint of lint or even an indication of being smashed. It actually looked brand new surprisingly. The thought disgusted him that he might eat something that was in someone's pocked, but while seeing the Doctor looking brilliant by combining the chemical and the controller with his blue flashlight looking thing he decided that maybe the Doctor was right. He was hungry after all. Charles took a bite of the sandwich and his eyes bulged as he graced a coy smile. "That's… that's actually pretty good! Thanks!"

The Doctor looked up at him grinning like a cheshire cat. "Brilliant! But, you can thank Rose." The alien returned to splicing together whatever he was working on.

In between bites Charles asked, "That's the person you have that's not here, right?"

The Doctor responded absentmindedly, "She's shopping. Needed some alone time."

Charles nodded as he took the last bite of the sandwich. "Right."

The Doctor held in his hands the modified controller that beeped as he also still held the sonic grinning at his quick handiwork. "Oh, I am one seriously brilliant man!"

"What do you got there?"

The Doctor might have not even heard him as he mentioned to himself, "All I need is a sample." The Doctor turned his attention back to Charles. "You've kissed her, yeah?"

Charles was confused. "My wife? Of course, but what does…"

He was cut off as the Doctor leaned in close to his face taking his screwdriver and scanning his lips.

As the Doctor pulled away the shocked if not slightly homophobic Charles stared in revolted shock. "Why? Why?"

The alien patted his machine with pride. "Needed a second source of a life signature for the Yamra Energy Detector." The Doctor got up to scan the shoe as he continued. "Yamra energy was used in the early days of teleportation. This machine can track anyone that's been exposed to it in about a fifty mile radius. And it's beeping!"

Charles asked hopefully, "Rachel?"

The Doctor cocked his head to the side as he excitedly yelled, "Allons-y, Charlie!"

The alien took off running towards the signal as Charles got up and chased him out of the building…


	6. Rescue Me

The Doctor and Charles stopped running upon reaching a brick three story dwelling. While catching his breath Charles looked up asking, "She in there?"

"Only one way to find out!"

They approached the door and the Doctor reached for his screwdriver, but was beat when Charles kicked the door open in determination. The Doctor's eyebrows shot up in response. That was pretty impressive if he would say so himself, but there was no time for accolades as Charles ran in yelling, "Rachel! Rachel! Are you here?"

The Doctor quickly moved to put his hand over the mouth of his friend. "Your going to get her killed." Charles nodded and the alien removed his hand. The room looked lived in, but no bodies were present.

Charles had to make sure they were in the right spot. "Is she upstairs?"

The Doctor looked at his controller. "Yea, they're up there."

"How many?"

"Could be four or five."

Charles sighed. "I could really use a gun right now."

The Doctor exclaimed. "No guns! No fun in that!" And with that he took off running up the stairs with a larger than life grin and Charles following excited that he was so close to getting Rachel back.

Upon reaching the second floor, they noticed that it too was empty so they kept running until reaching the third floor. When they got there they both stopped suddenly staring at the barrel of a futuristic looking gun held by one of dark green creatures.

The Doctor acted as if the gun was a toy as he confronted it. "I think you have something that belongs to my friend, yeah?"

The creature answered with a deep throaty voice. "She's ours. She has something that we want." Charles couldn't believe it. The creature had never spoken before and on top of that it had been in English.

The Doctor took an intimidating step toward the creature and his gun. "What does she have?"

"A spare part for our ship which we need to fly out of here. You shall not pass!"

"Lord of the rings? Really?" The Doctor threw his hands up before shifting gears. "You crashed didn't you? A little embarrassed of yourself, aren't ya?"

The creature snarled at the Doctor. "I will shoot you."

"Oh, I wouldn't do that if I were you. You see I am rather the brilliant fellow. Ask Charles here. I spliced this little Yamra tracker with just a little ingenuity and I could solve your problem for you if you let his wife go, because that's the sort of man I am. I'm going to give you one chance Telemarvin."

A hint of fear crossed the creature. "You know…. You know of us?"

"Telemarvins." The Doctor said their race with disgust. "A rare breeding experiment of Regulas Five and Mars. The shunned ones of the Milky Way. So many out there would spit on you if they had the chance. You know that you shouldn't be here, right?"

"Show me your papers."

The Doctor withdrew a piece of paper from his coat showing it at the alien before pocketing it again. The Telemarvin immediately lowered his gun with a look of extreme guilt. He now sounded completely scared, a complete one eighty of his earlier threats. "Please, don't report us. I beg of you."

Charles was now on the offensive. "Where is my wife?"

The green alien pointed tentatively as he still stared up at the Doctor. "Second door on the right."

Charles immediately began to run leaving the Telemarvin and the Doctor behind. He was going to see Rachel! Charles didn't care what he passed as he whipped by a couple aliens before throwing open the door told to him.

At first the room appeared empty, but Charles clearly heard a shuffling of clothing and an unintelligible groan inside saying, "Mmmph."

Charles stepped into the room almost crying as he saw his wife again in the corner bound with rope and tape gagged. As best she could she called out to him. "Mmmle!"

With quick speed Charles ripped the tape off Rachel's lips with an accompanying yelp of pain from her before he leaned down and practically snogged her brains out. He broke the kiss and smiled breathlessly. "Rachel, I thought I'd never see you again."

"Oh, Charlie." He moved to untie Rachel's wrists as she continued. "I couldn't understand them. They yelled at me in some weird dialect and then tied me up and stole the necklace you bought me in Shanghai. They held it and talked together about it like it was important."

Charles had now progressed to her ankles. "They said they needed you for a spare part for their ship. They just wanted you for your necklace? It doesn't make any sense."

"I don't think so Charlie. They must have tied me up because they need to do something to me. I don't think we're safe just yet."

"Course we are. I have this friend that I brought with me. The Doctor. He sorted everything out for us." Charles was practically walking on air as the Doctor stepped into the room. "Speak of the devil."

"Charles." The Doctor didn't appear as jovial as before as he walked in looking at his friend and the now untied Rachel. "That your wife? Rachel?"

"Yea. Something wrong?"

The Doctor sighed. "I helped splice together and fix their ship with the Tibetan ruby from Rachel's necklace. Can't get it back to you, but the Telemarvins are getting ready to go."

Rachel asked, "Well, that's good isn't it, right?"

Charles looked on fearfully. The Doctor should be at the least a little excited, but his body language and tone of voice communicated something completely different. "Doctor, what's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, Charles. I'm so sorry."

The Doctor walked into the room fully and stepped to the side waving for someone to follow him. Charles and Rachel saw one of the Telemarvins walk forward into the room wielding a gun and training it straight on them.

The Telemarvin addressed the couple with its deep voice. "Do the humans have any last requests?"


	7. Shameful World

Charles and Rachel raised their hands in fear and betrayal. This was it! Rachel had literally just been freed from being kidnapped and tied up just to stare down the barrel of a gun in the end. Charles could have been safe. He could have never seen his wife again, but he chose to trust the Doctor to help him find her. Now he was going to die. If Charles was to be killed now he'd let the traitor know exactly how he felt. "I trusted you, Doctor, and this is how you repay me?"

Most middle men would look away, but the Doctor looked him dead in the eye with seriousness. "Charles, the Telemarvins are a cursed race and by rule of Galactic Law 262 F, any sentient, but Class Five individuals that learn of them need to be executed so their shame will stay a secret. I'm so sorry, but it's the law."

"But, we won't tell anybody. Neither of us will." Rachel nodded to show that she wholeheartedly agreed with Charles' statement. "Please, I don't want to die!"

The Doctor's almost depressed face gave way to a wide knowing grin. "Course the difference between this lot and myself is that I have control over timelines. One of the many benefits of being a Time Lord, last one or not." The Telemarvin still held his gun at the humans but turned his face in huge surprise at the Doctor. "The law states that the Telemarvins must remain a secret and believe me if any of their technology would leak to the human race now than there would be a whole heaping tower of bad. Course, I can read the timelines and can see that neither of you speak of this day ever again. And I really hate deaths." The Doctor pushed the Telemarvins hand gently gun to the side. "So, I order you to desist!"

The green alien reverently replied, "Time Lord."

The Doctor's grin grew as he repeated the alien and winked at Charles. "Time Lord."

The Telemarvin lowered his weapon as a couple other Telemarvins entered the room wielding guns. One of them commented, "Strut might be one of the most gullible of our band. Me, I'm not so easily fooled!" The Telemarvin wielded his weapon pointed at the humans and before anyone could say anything he squeezed the trigger.

Charles and Rachel covered their heads expecting death, but all they heard was a gentle whirling. Charles looked up and noticed the Doctor was proudly holding a very shiny blue screwdriver as the Telemarvins stared in shock from not being able to pull the trigger.

The Doctor confidently proclaimed, "Time Lord."

All the Telemarvins repeated in unison, "Time Lord."

"Get in your ship and do not land here for another hundred years."

"We obey."

Charles and Rachel could not believe it as they watched the Telemarvins leave the room and before they knew it engines were fired nearby before exploding into a loud bang. They were leaving.

The Doctor peeked around the corner grinning satisfactorily while noticing a new hole in the side of the building and a speck moving higher and higher in the sky. "Oh, that's going to leave a mark."

The Doctor, Charles, and Rachel left the building and walked away from it. Charles, who held Rachel's hand, asked curiously. "That bit about timelines. Was that true?"

The Doctor grinned cleverly. "Not exactly, but I have always been a rebel when I do not understand a law clearly."

Charles laughed, "Brilliant."

Rachel asked, "But, I don't understand something, Doctor. How come I couldn't understand them until you showed up. They began speaking English. What did you do?"

"That was my ship. She reaches out to everyone with me and helps translate for you."

"But I… I had never met you before today."

The Doctor smiled. "You mean something to Charles and I… well, I sort of bonded to you. Long story."

Charles replied, "He made out with your shoe."

Rachel mouth formed a very surprising 'O' as she vocalized the letter.

Charles let go of Rachel's hand and put his hand on the Doctor's shoulder. "There's still one more question you need to answer for me before you go. That Rose person, what does she mean to you?"

"I…" It was the biggest mystery he knew and every time it came up the Doctor felt more and more lost with what the answer was. He couldn't love another species, especially if she would die many centuries before him. Yet, he always thought what if. With the problems they had been going through it sounded like she was on the verge of leaving him. Did she still love him as she claimed and why did that statement even matter at all to him? Rose, was a puzzle more challenging than an Eight Star Cube or an explanation of why egos were more common than apologies in the universe. He didn't have an answer and chose for once in his life to be honest. "I don't know."

Rachel looked him in the eye hopefully. "Tell her that."

"When something is said it can't be returned. Words are a powerful force in the universe. I once saw a Shakespeare play almost end the world after all. It's something none of us can comprehend. There are some things that should never be said. Rose is one of those things."

Charles shook his head. "You're missing the point."

"I need to go."

Rachel gently warned him. "You can't run forever, Doctor. Eventually, you'll get tired."

The Doctor grinned brightly. "Who me? Nah, I have two hearts. More energy!" His smile died as the Doctor was lying to himself again. Charles moved to shake the alien's hand and gave him a hug which he returned as they broke. The Doctor muttered into his ear, "Thank you."

Charles stepped away shaking his head. "You saved my wife and my life. I should be thanking you."

The Doctor nodded. "That you should. Goodbye, Charles and Rachel Mayweather."

The alien walked away as Charles and Rachel moved to once again hold hands as they watched the Doctor's smaller and smaller body walk away underneath the now colorful and bleeding sunset of Venice…


	8. Next Time Trailer

Next Time on Doctor Who…

Martha is strapped to a chair against her will with a shadowy figure and an accompanying male voice saying proudly, "Rose Tyler is dead." The Doctor pulls away from a young woman, distraught about a memory.

The TARDIS doors fly open, and Martha plows through them to hug the Doctor. "Nice to see you again, Mr. Smith!"

The Doctor grins. "And you, Ms. Jones."

An alarm sounds off and the TARDIS shakes, making the Doctor, Rose, and Martha hang on. The Doctor shouts over the noise, "Something is overriding the controls! I can't fight it!"

The Doctor, Rose, and Martha walk along a paved road with buildings so tall that the tops are hidden by clouds and flying vehicles amongst flying cars in the sky.

Rose comments, "Aren't we essentially walking into a trap, Doctor?"

A bunch of soldiers suddenly appear next to the Doctor, Rose, and Martha, training their guns on them.

The Doctor replies, "Nonsense, Rose."

The three travelers hear a voice in a dark room. "I'll give you a chance. Turn around and leave, and I'll let you live."

The Doctor yells to his companions as guns go off, "Run!"

Rose piles desks, chairs, and old office equipment to block a door.

Martha tries pressing buttons in a lift as she screams in defeat, "No! No!"

Rose runs down the stairs chased by a black clad man. She kicks a door, making it slam open, running inside and slamming it behind her.

Martha is grabbed by two similarly dressed men into a lit room.

Rose falls down forward, landing on the floor completely still. The black-clad man touches a strap on his wrist as he announces, "Sir, I have eliminated the blonde."

Martha screams in pain and agony while being tied to a chair and a round suction cup squeezes her head.

The Doctor looks intimidatingly at a black-clad man. "Tell me to my face. What have you done with Rose Tyler?"

Inside a mechanical arch, gasses began to appear to form into some type of solid figure. The Doctor stares terrifyingly at it. "No…"

Series 4 will continue with "Agent T.I.N" next week!


End file.
